Saturday, November 25, 2006
Team-by-Team: One Up, One Down
Just because I feel like it, I’m going to go team-by-team through the first ten NHL teams (alphabetically) and highlight a positive surprise and a negative surprise statistically. The common thread is that they kind of ‘wow’ me in some way.
ANAHEIM
+ Chris Kunitz (23 13-7-20), who joins the Ray Whitney waiver-wire rejects who have proven themselves to be stars. Funny thing is that the Ducks were the first team to waive him.
- Some wanted Ilya Bryzgalov (90.2SV% in 7 games) to take over the #1 job, but he’s been far poorer than JS Giguere (92.1SV%)
ATLANTA
+ Scott Mellanby is still kicking it the age of 40 with 6 goals and 8 assists in 23 games.
- Kari Lehtonen was supposed to be the saviour in nets, but a 89.4SV% in 19 games isn’t gonna cut the cheese.
BOSTON
+ Marc Savard – For all of the poo-pooing (including my own) of the Bruins paying so much for him, he’s got 5 goals and 21 assists in 20 games and is proving that his points were not all the creation of great linemates.
- Stanislav Chistov has loads of promise but has never shown any of it in the NHL. 2 points in 6 games with the Bruins isn’t making the Ducks think they made a mistake.
BUFFALO
+ Thomas Vanek has really exploded this season with 23 15-13-28 +15
- Ales Kotalik is one of the few black spots on this squad with just 14 points in 23 games and a team worst -1
CAROLINA
+ Rod Brind’Amour. I didn’t figure he’d be able to repeat his offense, but the workout king leads his squad with 33 points in 25 games.
- David Tanabe is showing why the Bruins let him go with 0 goals and 2 assists in 16 games.
CALGARY
+ Mathew Lombardi has a team leading +12 and has 14 points in 20 games. He’s provided some decent secondary scoring.
- Tony Amonte is really showing his age with just 5+3 in 20 games.
CHICAGO
+ Nobody is talking about Radim Vrbata, but he’s been producing with very little help around him. 17 points in 21 games and a +7 on this squad is All-Star worthy.
- Adrian Aucoin. I figured he’d have a bounceback year, but 1+5 and -5 in 20 games isn’t what they are paying him for.
COLUMBUS
+ Duvie Westcott – In Bryan Berard’s absence, Duvie has been good offensively with 3+5 in 11 games.
- Poor Gilbert Brule has 1+2 and -9 in 17 games. This isn’t the Calder performance I expected :( Stupid Jackets.
COLORADO
+ Tyler Arnason, the laziest mutha this side of Kevin Federline, is quietly producing well with 6+9 in 22 games.
+ Surprisingly, nobody blows me away as a negative ‘surprise’, since most players are performing to expected levels. So, I’ll highlight another positive in Paul Stastny, who has 4+10 in 22 games. His -7 is sucky, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see him doing well offensively.
DALLAS
+ Eric Lindros is no star, but he’s helping my co-worker in his office pool with 5+11 in 22 games. He’s performed fairly well on the Power Play and hasn’t been injured yet!
- Jaroslav Modry – Just 3 points (1+2) in 20 games is poor for a guy with his skills.
ANAHEIM
+ Chris Kunitz (23 13-7-20), who joins the Ray Whitney waiver-wire rejects who have proven themselves to be stars. Funny thing is that the Ducks were the first team to waive him.
- Some wanted Ilya Bryzgalov (90.2SV% in 7 games) to take over the #1 job, but he’s been far poorer than JS Giguere (92.1SV%)
ATLANTA
+ Scott Mellanby is still kicking it the age of 40 with 6 goals and 8 assists in 23 games.
- Kari Lehtonen was supposed to be the saviour in nets, but a 89.4SV% in 19 games isn’t gonna cut the cheese.
BOSTON
+ Marc Savard – For all of the poo-pooing (including my own) of the Bruins paying so much for him, he’s got 5 goals and 21 assists in 20 games and is proving that his points were not all the creation of great linemates.
- Stanislav Chistov has loads of promise but has never shown any of it in the NHL. 2 points in 6 games with the Bruins isn’t making the Ducks think they made a mistake.
BUFFALO
+ Thomas Vanek has really exploded this season with 23 15-13-28 +15
- Ales Kotalik is one of the few black spots on this squad with just 14 points in 23 games and a team worst -1
CAROLINA
+ Rod Brind’Amour. I didn’t figure he’d be able to repeat his offense, but the workout king leads his squad with 33 points in 25 games.
- David Tanabe is showing why the Bruins let him go with 0 goals and 2 assists in 16 games.
CALGARY
+ Mathew Lombardi has a team leading +12 and has 14 points in 20 games. He’s provided some decent secondary scoring.
- Tony Amonte is really showing his age with just 5+3 in 20 games.
CHICAGO
+ Nobody is talking about Radim Vrbata, but he’s been producing with very little help around him. 17 points in 21 games and a +7 on this squad is All-Star worthy.
- Adrian Aucoin. I figured he’d have a bounceback year, but 1+5 and -5 in 20 games isn’t what they are paying him for.
COLUMBUS
+ Duvie Westcott – In Bryan Berard’s absence, Duvie has been good offensively with 3+5 in 11 games.
- Poor Gilbert Brule has 1+2 and -9 in 17 games. This isn’t the Calder performance I expected :( Stupid Jackets.
COLORADO
+ Tyler Arnason, the laziest mutha this side of Kevin Federline, is quietly producing well with 6+9 in 22 games.
+ Surprisingly, nobody blows me away as a negative ‘surprise’, since most players are performing to expected levels. So, I’ll highlight another positive in Paul Stastny, who has 4+10 in 22 games. His -7 is sucky, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see him doing well offensively.
DALLAS
+ Eric Lindros is no star, but he’s helping my co-worker in his office pool with 5+11 in 22 games. He’s performed fairly well on the Power Play and hasn’t been injured yet!
- Jaroslav Modry – Just 3 points (1+2) in 20 games is poor for a guy with his skills.
Comments:
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Hmm, negative comments about the Avs, I can think of several but two wins in two games gets people thinking more positively. Paul Stastny is awesome. Patrice Breeze-by gives me much pain.
# posted by 
: 7:35 am
: 7:35 am
Things may turn around for Brule, Hitchcock seems to really like him and his ice time has increased a lot in the last two games.
Tara
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Tara
# posted by : 8:42 am
: 8:42 am << Home
